All you hungry spirits in the Ten Directions, please gather here. Sharing your distress, I offer you this food, hoping it resolves your thirsts and hungers. Gate of Sweet Nectar The Montague Farm Zendo, led by Sensei Eve Myonen Marko, offers Zen meditation, liturgy, study, and retreats. There is private study with a teacher, liturgical training, as well as group study and circle processes. As the sangha comes together, we also hope to become involved in social action. The Montague Farm Zendo is the zendo of the Mother House of the Zen Peacemakers Sangha, founded by Roshi Bernie Glassman. It's also part of the White Plum Sangha, founded by Taizan Hakuyu Maezumi Roshi. Sensei Eve Marko July 1, 2008 Dear Friend, We don't think that winter becomes spring. We don't say that spring becomes summer. Eihei Dogen,Genjokoan Every single moment is its own time, every rose and peony its unique self. Even our story about the changing seasons cannot help us realize impermanence; plunging into our own true nature can. Please come and sit with us at the Montague Farm Zendo. We are open throughout the summer. Watch the birds sing, hear the skies change color. May our life and practice be renewed for the benefit of all beings. Sensei Eve Myonen Marko July-August Schedule The Montague Farm Zendo is Located in the Maezumi Institute's House of One People in Montague, Ma. Mornings: Monday, Thursday, Friday: Sitting meditation: 6:45-8:00 am Saturday, July 26: 8:30-11 Sitting meditation: 8:30 am Reflection on Precepts: 9:30 Gate of Sweet Nectar: 10:30 Evenings: Tuesday: Beginning Instruction for Zen Meditation: 7:00 pm Sitting Meditation: 7:30-8:30 pm Study: 8:30-9:30 pm 7/29, 8/26: Sitting meditation, Council and Tea: 7:30-9:30 pm 8/19: Meditation, Renewal of Vows: 7:30-9:30 Retreats: Five-day Summer Sesshin Tuesday evening, July 15-Saturday noon, 7/20. Led by Sensei Eve Myonen Marko with participation by Roshi Bernie Glassman. The retreat will also comprise a ceremony to install Jim Ryudo Bastien as a Senior of the Montague Farm Zendo on Saturday, 7/19, 7:30 pm, and a Ceremony for Receiving Precepts on Sunday, 7/20, 11 am. All are invited to the two ceremonies regardless of attendance at the sesshin. THERE WILL BE NO ZENDO SCHEDULE ON FRIDAY, JULY 4. THE REGULAR SATURDAY SCHEDULE WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SUMMER ONLY ON JULY 26 AND WILL RESUME AGAIN ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. DURING SUMMER SESSHIN, JULY 15-20, THE REGULAR SCHEDULE IS SUSPENDED. THERE WILL ALSO BE NO FORMAL SITTING SCHEDULE ON MONDAYS, JULY 14 AND 21, AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, DUE TO OTHER EVENTS HAPPENING AT THE MAEZUMI INSTITUTE. UPCOMING EVENTS OF THE MONTAGUE FARM ZENDO AND MAEZUMI INSTITUTE Summer Sesshin A Five-Day Zen Retreat Led by Sensei Eve Myonen Marko With Participation By Roshi Bernie Glassman July 15-July 20 Experience the benefits of a formal Zen intensive through sitting and standing meditation, formal meals, yoga, dharma talks and personal interviews. The retreat will be led by Sensei Eve; Roshi Bernie will give interviews to all retreat participants on one of the retreat days as well as one dharma talk. This retreat offers an opportunity for both beginning and experienced meditators to deepen their practice. The retreat begins at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, July 15, and ends lunch time on Sunday, July 20. The daily retreat schedule will officially begin at 6 am and end at 9 pm. Fee: $250 MFZ members; $300 nonmembers. On-site accommodations available at additional cost. Register Online Now! July 15 -20     or contact: seiki@zenpeacemakers.org Please click below to download a poster: Summer Sesshin Poster or link here to see the poster. Senior Installation of Jim Ryudo Bastien Saturday, July 19: 7:30 pm The Zendo's first two-month intensive practice period will end on Saturday evening, July 19, at 7:30 pm with the installation of Jim Ryudo Bastien as a Senior. During the ceremony Ryudo will give a brief talk and then will invite all Dragons and Elephants--everyone in the Zendo--to engage in Dharma Combat with him by asking him questions to test his mettle and clarity. You are all invited to take part in the festivities regardless of whether you attend the sesshin or not. Simply rsvp that you're coming to Judith Myoki Breier--myoki@zenpeacemakers.org--and be at the Zendo by 7:30 pm on July 19. Light refreshments will follow. Transmission of Precepts Ceremony Sunday, July 20: 11 am A ceremony to transmit the Zen Peacemakers Precepts will take place in the Zendo on Sunday, July 20, at 11 am, for the following: Bruce Blackman Clemens Breitschaft Nancy Eatough Jeff Levy Eric Manigian Mark Mininberg Sam Richardson Cynthia Roderick Steve Ruhl Chris Scheller John Sprague Everyone is invited. Since we plan refreshments following the ceremony, please rsvp Ike Chosui Eichenlaub at matteichenlaub@verizon.net to let us know that you're coming.

Please consider making a monthly financial commitment of $35.00 to the Montague Farm Zendo. These funds will help to support its teacher, Sensei Eve Myonen Marko, and will also pay for basic zendo supplies. You can also do service in lieu of some of the membership fee.

As a member, you will receive a bi-monthly newsletter as well as reductions in retreat prices. You will be able to do private study with Sensei Eve. You will receive a discount on programs given at the Maezumi Institute. Most important, you will be supporting the flowering of the sangha's practice.

For more information, please contact: seiki@zenpeacemakers.org, 413-367-2080 x 3#.

For the last several weeks the sangha of the Montague Farm Zendo has been studying a series of social action koans developed for the current Intensive Practice Period under the direction of Sensei Eve Myonen Marko and Head Trainee Jim Ryudo Bastien. The theme is Loving Action, the Third Tenet of the Zen Peacemakers. Each of the koans points to the direct expression of loving action in the world.

The koans were developed by Ryudo based on his experiences during a 30-year career in human services. The study involves looking at traditional koans and zen stories taken from various koan collections that are paired with a real life situation that points in some way to the essence of the koan. Here is an example:

Ryudo's Social Action Koan:
Jerome has been in residential treatment for three years and has made little progress. He should be released from the program because he is now 18 and no longer eligible for services, but if he leaves here, he has no family and will just end up on the street and become homeless!

What is the right decision here?

Gateless Gate Case 5: Kyogen's "Man up in a Tree":
Kyogen Osho said, "It is like a man up in a tree hanging from a branch with his mouth; his hands grasp no bough, his feet rest on no limb.

Someone appears under the tree and asks him, 'What is the meaning of Bodhidharma's coming from the West?' If he does not answer, he fails to respond to the question. If he does answer, he will lose his life."

The study is done in a group format. The Head Trainee presents the koans and asks each member in attendance to respond to each presentation with an expression of loving action.

I invite you to read more about the Zen Peacemakers

and/or to explore their three main areas of activities by linking to them below:

For more information please contact:

Zen Peacemakers Office
email: Program Information
call: 413 367-2080 ext. 3#

or

Montague Farm Zendo
email: Anne Seiki Bull:
Call: 413-367-2080 ext. 3#.

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